Raymond Baucom - Online Memorial Website

To you Grandpa,

Thank you for a lifetime full of memories and heart filled moments to cherish forever.

As I look back, I fondly recall many boyhood moments with you. Standing at your footstep while handcrafting projects at your workbench, climbing up to share the upper bunk in the motor home, pouring over the encyclopedias with you and researching school projects, having you as a camping companion on the Cub Scout trips to Tahosa, learning to use chopsticks while having a meal at McDonalds, working on merit badges, learning to mow your lawn and approach many tasks with precision, laughing at your stories about the “goonie birds”, and, all the while, looking up to you and aspiring to be just like you. It was an honor and it was great fun to be your “blue eyed rascal”.

As I grew up, I thank you for always being there to share in my experiences and all that I was doing. You were there for countless Scouting ceremonies, band concerts and trips, school graduations, our wedding, and to welcome the birth of Raelynne and Averey. You always had that perfect way of expressing your admiration with that quick whistle of yours and saying “boy, oh boy” or “that’s sharp looking”. I was glad to have you near at all of these times and it was an honor to have you share in all of my achievements.

In the recent years, it’s been the conversations at the kitchen table where you’ve touched my life with your many life stories and experiences. Although I had heard some of these stories before, with my new perspective as a husband and father myself, these stories now carried a much greater meaning. I’d often find myself wondering about the details and imagining myself in your shoes. What an inspiration you are and always will be!

Today I look around and see many things in my life that remind me of these times and moments with you. From the handcrafted wallet to the calligraphy inscriptions, I will cherish these tokens you have left me with.

While I will truly miss your firm handshake, your laughter and your company, I know that you will always be with us in spirit and will continue to share in and celebrate all that life still has to offer us.

Thank you for everything. We love you, Grandpa!

As I look back, I am very thankful to have had you as my Dad. I know there were times that we bump heads, got mad at each other, but that is normal father-son stuff. You were there for me, supporting my many endeavors. Taking me to music lessons and band practice. Participating with me in both Cub and Boy Scouts meetings, camp outs and summer camp. You were always there to support me whether you enjoyed it or not. If you didn’t enjoy it you never let on to me.

Dad was one of two adults that took 20 boys from the KC area to Philmont Scout Ranch. We spent 10 days, hiking over 50 miles, with everything we need in our back packs. It wasn’t until you gave me your little red notebook of our trip to Philmont a couple years ago. That I realize that you didn’t enjoy the experience much more than I did. I opened it up to your hand written notes describing our trip. We were on our way to Miners Park, about half way, where we would spend night 3 on the trail. You commented “I’m an old Man”. You felt a little better that evening after a shower, but again commented “Home seems so far away”. A good camp was described by having “NO BEARS”. We have bears visit our camps 3 different nights. You and Mr. Dodson, would be out, in the dark, banging dutch oven lids together scaring them off. About half way thru our adventure, you commented “a few more days and it will all be behind us”. A couple nights before we returned to base came. You made an entry in your journal “Den seems homesick, so am I”. But we all made it back safely. I remember the look on your face when we presented you with a plaque. We all signed it on the back, and on the front it said “We Made It”.

I remember another adventure that involved my sister and me. Mom and dad were out of town for the weekend. I had my driver’s license, had to work, so mom and dad left me the keys to the car. It was his prize possession, a 67 rally sport camero. I decided that Barb who was all of 13 at the time. Should try and back dad’s car out of the garage. I said it’s very simple; you get in, push in the clutch and turn it on. With the motor running, I gave her quick instructions on how to back the car out of the garage. You give it a little gas and slowly release the clutch just until it starts to move. Well she gave it a lot of gas and popped the clutch. I stood there watching as she side swiped the garage door opening. The back end of the car headed towards the light pole in the front yard. Lucky for me she stalled it before mowing over the light. We spent the next two days looking all over for a new spinner hubcap, to replace the one damaged. I knew mom and dad had written down the mileage on the car, so they would know if I took it anywhere other than work. What they didn’t know was I knew how to unhook the speedometer cable, so the mileage wouldn’t register. Well after two days of searching, we did not find a replacement hubcap. So what do we tell mom and dad? I told Barb, that we will tell them it’s all my fault, I did it. I knew that we would be in less trouble if I took the blame. For years we kept this secret to ourselves. It wasn’t till after we were both married with or own children, that we finally told mom and dad what happened the weekend they were gone. We all set there laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes.

Dad, thanks for everything, you did a great job raising us and providing for your family. I know that because of what I said to you back when Michael and Steven both under the age of 5. I said “Dad, I hope I can do as good of job raising my boys that you did with Barb and me”.

I Love you, I will miss you, Thanks for everything.
Den

Dad, You can choose your friends but not your relatives, or so it has been said. When Den and I first met, you were sent on a mission to have lunch with Den and talk about dating the “older woman”. That did no good, so then Den suggested you come meet me, and I made lunch…BINGO….I had you! A way to a man’s heart can be his stomach!! After we were married, we invited you and Mom and Barb to Iowa with us, and you enjoyed the farm where I grew up…and became really good friends with my parents. Soon you were traveling places with them, and we were left behind…. I’ll never forget Den and I coming home to the four of you laughing till tears ran down your cheeks, and then shared the story of getting lost in Doon, Iowa. It is only about 3 blocks square!! You also saw my love for the big red barn on the farm in Iowa, and I will always cherish the painting you surprised me with entitled Sheryl’s Red Barn. Little did I know that you had photographed it so that you could duplicate it on canvas. We always traveled following you…had the cb radios back and forth, and chatted our way through Nebraska. You would call me “lead foot” as we crossed from Colorado to Nebraska, as the speed increased….until the year they enforced 55mph on all highways….I swear your speedometer was wrong on the motorhome. You would NEVER exceed the speed limit, and so we went 55 (52 on my car) all across Nebraska….longest trip I’ve ever made!! You were such a good Grandpa to the boys. I remember many a Christmas that you helped them put out cookies for Santa, and made sure that a tuff of cotton was left on the fireplace door, before you went to bed. You proudly supported both in boy scouts, coming to blue and gold banquets and eventually participating in their Eagle scout awards. We made many trips to scout camp for the Friday evening family dinners…and the one trip was unforgettable with rain and hail that totaled my car. We laughed because Mom had on her rain bonnet as the sky light was leaking…we pulled over many times to try to get away from the hail, but it seemed to follow us all the way to camp. You and Mom made many trips down for the boys band concerts, and even went to Arizona for Michael’s first band trip. The years have flown by, boys are grown, and both proud to carry on the Baucom name, because you meant so much to them. Dad, 37 years have passed since that lunch…and I am proud and honored to be considered one of your daughters!
Love you and miss you. Sheryl

PS: To set the record straight here….I did not act alone stitching your underwear….there was another daughter involved.